Detachable handle device for vehicle door latches



Sept. 19, 1961 E. R. LEWIS, JR

DETACHABLE HANDLE DEVICE FOR VEHICLE DOOR LATCHES Filed Jan. 16, 1961 INVENTOR. EDGAR R. LEWISUIR.

ATTORNEY United tates 3,000,660 DETACHABLE HANDLE DEVICE FOR VEHICLE DOOR LATCHES Edgar R. Lewis, Jr., 7131 SW. th Terrace, Miami, Fla. Filed Jan. 16, 1961, Ser. No. 82,776 4 Claims. (Cl. 292353) This invention relates to detachable handle devices and has particular reference to handles for actuating door latches and/ or window actuating or winding handles.

It has frequently happened, that children occasionally lift the latch handles, causing the door to swing open with the resultant opening of the door, causing the child to fall from the vehicle, resulting in death or injury and the purpose of this invention is to provide detachable handles so constructed that the handle may be quickly and easily removed from the operating shaft of the latch mechanism so that the child will be unable to open the door.

The invention contemplates novel connecting means between the operating latch shaft that normally projects beyond the inner side of the door and with the handle being provided with a novel latch mechanism whereby the handle may be coupled to the shaft in a simple manner.

' Novel features of construction and operation of the device will be more clearly apparent during the course of the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated a preferred form of the device and wherein like characters of reference are employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is an inner side elevation of the latch handle and associated mechanism also showing in end elevation the operating shaft for the latch mechanism,

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view at a right angle to FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1,

FIGURE 4 is a section taken substantially on line 44 of FIGURE 2, and

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a connecting hub member embodied in the invention.

Refening specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates the handle as a whole embodying an arm portion 6 and a body portion 7. The handle 5 is preferably of cast construction and formed of any suitable metal. The head 7 has a relatively flat face portion 8 that is adapted to be disposed against the side of the door and the face portion is provided with an inner recess 9 and with the recess being generally rectangular, having flat side walls 10 and arcuate end walls 11. Radial ribs 12 serve to strengthen the head 7 with respect to an axially arranged body 13. The arm 6, the head 7 and the body 13 are preferably integrally molded.

Adapted to engage within the recess 9 to have nonrotatable engagement therein is a hub 14. The hub 14 has arcuate end portions 15 and fiat sides 16 and the hub is adapted to have relatively snug engagement within the recess 9. The hub 14 is axially bored at 17 to receive a forwardly extending portion 18 of a latch shaft 19. The latch shaft 19 is of conventional construction and the terminal forward end of the latch shaft is provided with circumferential ribs 20 that have splined engagement with ribs 21 formed within the inner portion of the bore 17. The hub 14 is thus adapted to have nonrotatable engagement with the shaft 19. The hub 14 is connected with the shaft 19 through the medium of a C-spring 22. The legs of the spring 22. are adapted to pass through Slots 23 formed in the opposite sides of the hub 14 to engage the reduced portion 24 of the shaft 19. The hub 14 upon its lower side is transversely slotted at 25, for a purpose to be presently recited.

Mounted within a hollow cavity 26 of the head portion 7, is a leaf spring 27. The spring 27 is connected to the head 7 by screw 28 and a web portion 29 of the head that has been apertured at 30 to facilitate the engagement of the screw 28 at assembly. The spring 27 at its connected end is arcuately formed and terminates forwardly in a straight or flat portion 31, having an upturned terminal end 32. The web 29 is forwardly slotted at 3-3 to receive a latch handle 34, having a lower apertured head 35 that projects below the web 29. The upper end of the latch 34 is connected to the spring by screws 36. The terminal end 32 of the spring is adapted to have seating engagement within the slot 25 of the hub 14 to thus latch the hub with respect to the head portion '7 of the handle 6. Movement of the latch 34 toward the handle 6 to the dotted line position illustrated in FIG- URE 3, causes the terminal end 32 to be withdrawn from the slot 25, permitting the entire handle assembly to be removed from the hub 14. In FIGURE 2, there has been shown by dotted lines a window winding handle 37.

In the use of the device, the hub 14 is first engaged over the reduced end of the shaft 19 causing the interlocking engagement of the splines 20 and 21. The spring 22 is then engaged through the slots 23, to maintain the hub in fixed engagement with the shaft. The latch 34 is then shifted toward the handle 6, permitting the head 7 to be engaged over the hub and with the hub seating within the recess 9. The latch 34 is then released and the spring biases the terminal end 32 into the slot 25, effectively holding the handle to the hub and providing a non-rotatable engagement with the shaft 19. The handle may then be actuated in a normal manner to rotate the shaft 19 for controlling the latch mechanism. When the handle is to be removed to prevent unauthorized or accidental opening of the vehicle doors, the latch 34 is shifted forwardly, moving the terminal at 32 out of the slot 25, permitting the handle 5 to be withdrawn from the hub. The shaft 19 and the reduced forward end portion having the spline ribs are of conventional construction. Heretofore, the hub 14 was an integeral part of the head 7.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel connecting means has been provided between the conventional latch actuating shaft of automotive vehicles and the usual actuating handle. By a simple actuation of the latch 34, the handle can be quickly and easily removed from the hub 14, preventing the unlatching of the door. The parts are simple, strong, cheap to manufacture and furnishes a very desirable means for removing the handles from either the door latching mechanism or the window elevating devices.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the precise construction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fall within the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A detachable actuating handle for use in connection with latch actuating mechanism of vehicle doors, the combination with a latch actuating shaft that projects inwardly from the inner side of the door, a hub having a splined detachable connection with the projecting end of the shaft, the hub being detachably held in the shaft, the hub having a non-cylindrical head, a handle having a head portion and a depending finger engaging arm, the head of the handle having a relatively flat inner face portion of circular shape, the face axially thereof being recessed and with the recess being shaped and proportioned to receive the head portion of the hub in a nonrotative manner, a spring latch device mounted within a cavity of the handle, thetspring latch being biased toward a slot formed in the bottom of the hub and a finger piece connected to the spring and projecting outwardly from the cavity whereby to move the spring from its latched engagement with the hub and to permit the handle to disengage the hub.

2. A detachable actuating handle for door latches of the automotive type for use with an operating shaft of the door latch mechanism, the shaft projecting slightly beyond the inner face of the door and with its outer end having spline teeth, a hub device that is provided with an axially arranged cylindrical recess that engages over the outer portion of the shaft, the recess of the hub having a circumferential row of spline teeth that receive the teeth of the shaft whereby the hub is prevented from turning upon the shaft, a spring clip connecting the hub to the shaft, the hub also having an enlarged head portion having opposite flat sides, a latch handle having a relatively large head portion carrying a depending finger engaging arm, the head portion having an inner circular face that is relatively flat and with the head portion being inwardly recessed from the face axially, the recess having opposite flat side walls and proportioned to engage over the head of the hub whereby to provide a non-rotative engagement between the handle and the hub, the handle being provided with a cavity that opens upon the face below the recess, a spring latch mounted in the cavity, 30

the spring latch being biased toward the hub, the spring latch at its free end having a tongue that is adapted to enter a slot formed in the lower side of the hub and a finger lever that is connected to the spring and projects outwardly of the cavity to be engaged by the finger of an operator for moving the tongue out of the slot for removal of the handle from the hub.

3. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the shaft is reduced in diameter adjacent the spline teeth to form a shoulder, the hub being slotted upon opposite sides for receiving leg portions of the spring clip whereby the leg portions extend through the hub to engage the shoulder and to prevent axial movement of the hub with respect to the shaft.

4. The structure according to claim 2, wherein the spring latch comprises a fiat leaf spring that is fixedly mounted at one adjacent inner end of the cavity, the spring being offset intermediate its length and forming a forwardly extending straight portion that is bent at a right angle at its free end to form the tongue, the finger lever being connected to the spring by threaded fastening devices, the finger lever projecting downward a slot formed in a wall section at the lower side of the cavity to be disposed in a position inwardly from the depending arm.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,345,075 Simpson Mar. 28, 1944 2,701,735 Segal Feb. 8, 1955 2,783,075 Manuel et a1. Feb. 26, 1957 

